The Fox's Disciple
by AnimeLover200013
Summary: Naruto was always a happy child, but when an accident occurs, he begins to loose himself in his guilt. A certain fox decides to take advantage of the situation and trains Naruto to become ruthless and cold. And so, the Fox's Disciple is born! No pairings (unless requested). Rated T just to be safe. Lots of violence in later chapters.
1. Prologue

A/N: Thank you for reading my story! This is the first story I have uploaded onto the website! Please comment with feedback or if you have a question. I accept all criticism and advice, but if you dislike the story, please tell me why so I can improve. Enjoy! **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!**

The rock hit the side of his head with a thonk. Warm blood slowly oozed from the cut, dripping from his cheek to the ground. He lifted his tiny hand up to his cheek and gently fingered the cut, wincing as it stung.

"Take that you monster!" the villager shrieked. Tears gathered in his stunning blue eyes as the villager spoke the words he heard so often. _Why do they do this?_ He wondered, not for the first time. _What did I do to make them hate me?_ A sob escaped from his throat and the tears followed, leaving tracks on his dirty face. It was his birthday. Shouldn't they celebrate? There was a festival, but why wasn't he allowed entrance? The little five year old turned and fled. He could hear the villagers' footsteps pounding behind him and the profanities that were shouted at him. He weaved in and out of the crowd that had gathered for the fifth annual Kyuubi festival where they celebrated the defeat of the great fox demon. He wanted to celebrate it too. True he didn't know what any of it meant, but there were games and it looked like fun. He arrived at the Hokage tower and bolted inside, seeking protection from the old man Hokage.

He flung the door to the old man's office open, startling the occupant, and flung himself into the Third Hokage's arms.

"Ojisan, help me!" he cried. The man wrapped his arms around the toddler and patted his back, comforting him despite his surprise at the boy's sudden appearance.

"Naruto?" concern laced his voice as he saw the cuts and heard the boy's sobs.

"The villagers," he cried, "They're after me!" The third Hokage rubbed the young Uzumaki's back and whispered soothing words.

"You can stay here, Naruto. They can't hurt you here," he said. Naruto nodded his thanks and, after taking a few minutes to collect himself, slid from the elder's lap to find a chair to sleep in. Once he found the said furniture, he climbed on to it and curled up, his head resting on the padded armrest. He fell asleep quickly, listening to the scraping and scratching of the old man's pen. _Thank you, Ojisan._


	2. The Academy

Naruto was perched on the leather stool, inhaling bowl after bowl of ramen noodles at his favorite restaurant: Ichiraku Ramen.

"Thanks for the ramen, old man!" Naruto called, waving as he began his jog to the academy. The older man waved to the 12 year old.

"Good luck at school, Naruto!" he called. Naruto turned forward and continued his run. The Leaf Village was usually quite peaceful, but today was extra nice. The sun's golden rays beamed down on Naruto's head, setting his platinum blonde hair ablaze. Birds sand in the tree tops outside the gate that separated the village from the thick forest. The Hokage Monument loomed of in the distance, the carved faces of the four Hokages looking over the village. Naruto gazed at the face of the Fourth Hokage. The deceased man was Naruto's idol, and Naruto's goal was to become even stronger than him. Naruto entered the academy, fully aware of the glares and whispers of the lingering parents. How long would they look at him like that? _Why _did they look at him like that? Naruto shook his head, trying to rid himself of the questions he knew would never get answers to. He had tried to ask Iruka-sensei, but he had avoided the question and ignored Naruto's pleads for closure. Naruto pushed his way through the Ninja Academy, ignoring the sneers from fellow students as he passed them in the hallway. His classmates were almost as bad as their parents. Naruto pushed the sliding door of his classroom aside and strolled in, plastering his fake smile to his face.

"Shut up Ino-pig, I was here first!" the pink-haired girl screeched.

"In your dream Billboard brow!" Ino shouted back. The blond haired girl pushed herself into Sakura's face. Naruto rolled his eyes. Sasuke fangirls were the worst kind of girls. Naruto strode over to where the blonde and pink haired girl fought. He slipped past them and into the seat beside the raven haired boy.

"What do you think you're doing, Naruto?" Sakura demanded.

"Saving the damsel in distress," he responded, pointing a thumb to the scowling boy beside him. The girls continued to yell at Naruto, but their complaints went through one ear and out the other.

"Get in your seats Sakura, Ino," Iruka ordered as he walked into the class, a pile of papers in his hands. The girls huffed and went to sit elsewhere. Naruto knew Sasuke would not thank him, but he could feel the relief come off the Uchiha in waves. "All right, now that you all are seated, let's discuss the upcoming Genin exams." Iruka stood in front of the class, hands on his hips. A buzz of excitement filled the room, but Naruto only felt cold dread. He had failed that test twice already, and he was almost positive he would fail once more.

"Nervous, Dobe?" Sasuke taunted, his onyx gaze turning to the blonde seated to his right. Just like every kid in the class, Sasuke knew that Naruto had failed the exam twice.

"Shut up, Teme," Naruto seethed.

"In preparation for this exam, we will practice our Henge," Iruka said. Now Naruto was excited. The class got up and stood in front of their teacher, Sasuke at the beginning and Naruto at the end. Sasuke raised his hands and formed the hand seal required to perform the Henge.

"Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique)!" Sasuke called. A cloud of smoke bloomed around Sasuke, and when the smoke cleared everyone was faced with a second Iruka. The scarred man looked at his clone with amusement.

"Thank you, Sasuke," the Chunin dismissed. One by one each student cloned themselves into their teacher, copying the scar on his nose, his blue pants, khaki Chunin vest , black ninja sandals, and pony tailed hair. By the time Iruka arrived at Naruto, he had seen twenty seven students turn into him. Naruto held his hands up in the seals, an evil grin stretching from one side of his face to the other.

"Henge no Jutsu!" Suddenly standing before Iruka, was a beautiful teenage girl, blonde pig tails hanging down to her waist, and smoke covering her more...private areas. Iruka fell back in surprise, knocking over some items on his desk. Another puff of smoke later, and the blonde girl was replaced with Iruka's hyperactive student. Naruto was rolling on the floor, tears of laughter streaming down his face.

"You should have seen your face, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto guffawed. Iruka glared at his student, aware that the rest of the class were trying to hide their own bouts of laughter. He wiped the back of his hand across his nose, wiping away the blood.

"Naruto, I'll see you after class," Iruka hissed out of embarrassment. Naruto's laughter subsided rather quickly upon hearing his teacher.

"But, Iruka-sensei, it was just a joke!" Naruto argued.

"Don't argue with me, Naruto Uzumaki!" Iruka shouted. Naruto sighed.

"Hai (yes), Iruka-sensei," Naruto muttered. Iruka's eyes softened at his student's uncharacteristic compliance.

"Alright class, go back to your seats. Class will be ending soon," Iruka said. The students went back to their desks, their amusement quelled by their teacher's reprimand. Everyone silently waited to be dismissed, a few of them giving Naruto sympathetic glances, which were quickly diverted by the blonde's icy glare. _I don't need their pity. Never have, never will, _Naruto thought. A few minutes later, Iruka dismissed the class, leaving the teacher and student alone in the classroom.

"Naruto, why do you insist on causing trouble at every turn?" Iruka demanded. He was answered with cold silence, like every time he asked the question. Iruka sighed tiredly, looking at the normally hyperactive blonde. Iruka didn't dislike Naruto. He considered Naruto to be like a younger brother, but that didn't mean he could let Naruto run rampant. Iruka saw himself in Naruto, the him after his parents had died during the Kyuubi attack. Naruto was lonely and wanted attention, though he would never admit that. Naruto stared out of the classroom window, determined not to look at Iruka. The scarred man walked carefully toward Naruto and sat beside him. Iruka placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and turned the teen to face him. Iruka was surprised to see the tears that swam in the youth's sky-blue eyes.

"Naruto, tell me," Iruka insisted softly. Naruto's eyes hardened and he feverishly wiped at his eyes. Naruto stood, and strode to the window. He turned to face his teacher and said something that Iruka never wanted to hear come from Naruto's lips,

"I don't need you Iruka-sensei. I don't need anyone! I can take care of myself like I have been for twelve years!" Naruto jumped out of the window and took off running toward the lush forest surrounding the school.

"Naruto!" Iruka cried.

**A/N: Thank you for reading chapter 1! Feel free to comment and all that fun stuff! I will hopefully (if I'm not held up by homework) be updating everyday!**


	3. The Exam

The green leaves of the oak trees passed by in a blur as Naruto sprinted through the forest. Iruka didn't understand, and he never would. Iruka wasn't there seven years ago when the villagers were abusing him, so what right did he have to worry now? He shook his head fiercely, trying to rid himself of all the confusion and pain.

"Naruto?" a voice asked, surprise coloring his voice. Naruto skidded to stop in front of his white haired teacher.

"Mizuki-sensei?" The dark eyed teacher smiled at Naruto, beckoning the boy forward.

"What are you doing out here Naruto?" he asked politely. Naruto's eyes darkened slightly and he turned away.

"I don't want to talk about it." Mizuki held his hands up in surrender. The Chunin searched for a change of topic and found the perfect one.

"Are you ready for tomorrow's exam?" he questioned. Naruto's mood seemed to only darken more.

"Yeah," he lied. Mizuki nodded in approval, detecting the lie, but deciding to leave the boy alone.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto," Mizuki said, departing. Naruto watched the tall Chunin as he ran through the forest and back to the village. Naruto sighed heavily, plopping onto the ground and falling backwards, his head hitting the moist ground softly. Naruto glared up at the sky like the azure ocean had somehow wronged him. It once again occurred to him how beautiful it was today and how the beauty had to be spoiled by his sour mood. Contrary to popular belief, Naruto Uzumaki was not the dead last everyone believed him to be. He was actually fairly smart for his age. Why the Genin test was so hard for him, he would never understand. The written portion was always his worst. The questions were ridiculously hard and Naruto was never good at getting his thoughts and words down clearly on paper. The weapons portion was his best; no thought process needed, just throw the shuriken/kunai and hit the target. Plain and simple, just how he liked it. Then there was the clone test. The instructors would ask the student to make as many perfect clones of themselves as possible. Naruto's chakra control had always been poor, so he was unable to make able-bodied clones.

Naruto frowned as he thought about the exams. His mind eventually landed on the topic of his scar-nosed sensei. Naruto found Iruka's supposed 'concern' for him hard to believe. For as long as he could remember, he had been beaten and abused by the villagers of the village, and not once had he felt anyone cared. It was weird for him to think that someone cared like Iruka said he did. Naruto sighed heavily, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. Might as well get a good sleep before the test, right?

Naruto pulled the keys to his run down apartment from the pocket of his orange pants and proceeded to unlock the door. His apartment was located in the slums of Konoha and barely anyone lived there. His landlord charged ridiculous amounts of money for the shack, raising the rates if he wasn't paid on time. Naruto was used to the cold and loneliness that associated with the apartment that he shared with only the mice that found their way inside. Naruto had no idea who his parents were, whether they were alive, if they loved him. When he had asked the old man Hokage, the village leader got a faraway look in his eyes and told him, "When you're older." Naruto removed his beaten up ninja sandals and padded softly into his small kitchen, putting water on the stove to boil. After his dinner of instant ramen, he changed into pajamas and practically fell onto his old, ripped mattress.

Naruto woke up to the ringing of his alarm clock and promptly threw said alarm clock at his wall, making _another _impact mark. He took a cold shower, once again cursing his landlord, and changed into his trademark orange and blue jacket, then his orange pants. He fixed the green goggles that he had gotten on his birthday upon his forehead and trudged out the door. The sky was a gloomy gray color that mirrored Naruto's mood. At the academy, Naruto took his seat beside the raven haired Sasuke and waited for Iruka. The room's traditional sliding door pushed open and three people walked through. Iruka, Mizuki, and an instructor that Naruto didn't recognize, stood at the head of the classroom and addressed the group of academy students.

"As you all know, today is the Genin exams, a right of passage for all of you. If you pass these tests, then you will officially become shinobi of Konohagakure. Remember to try your hardest and the best of luck to you all," Iruka said, looking at Naruto through most of the speech. Naruto averted his eyes, trying to look anywhere that wasn't Iruka. "First, we will do the written exam, so get out a pencil and get ready," Iruka instructed. Naruto did as he was told, nervously waiting for his paper. Once the white slip was in front of him, Naruto knew he was screwed. The first question was: 'If an enemy shinobi is hidden in a tree thirty feet away and there is a wind speed of seven miles per hour, how fast, hard, and at what angle would you have to throw a 1 pound shuriken to kill your target?' Naruto couldn't even began to understand the question. He peeked at his classmates out of the corner of his eye and saw them all writing feverishly, seeming to find the questions easy. He peered at the second question and found that they were all practically the same. He sighed and began to write down random answers.

"Time's up! Put your pencils down!" Iruka called. Mizuki picked up the papers, giving Naruto an encouraging smile, before returning to the front of the class. The third instructor began to grade the papers while Iruka explained the next part of the exams. "The next portion of the Genin exams is the weapons portion. You will be judged on speed and accuracy. You will need ten points to pass this portion of the test." Mizuki and Iruka proceeded to lead the excited students and one glum Uzumaki to the training field outside the Academy. The class was lined up and tested, Naruto once again being one of the last to go.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Mizuki called out. Naruto took a deep breath, stepping up to the drawn line ten feet away from the logs that were his target. He took five shuriken from Iruka and lined himself up. He threw the first shuriken, his arm an orange blur. The metal weapon embedded itself into the wooden post. Naruto threw the rest of the shuriken at the other posts, hitting them all dead on.

"Very good, Naruto. Ten points," Iruka told him. Naruto smiled victoriously, walking back to his classmates. "Alright, the next test will be the bunshin test," Naruto's 100-watt smile slipped, "you will be graded on the quality of your bunshins. Follow us," Iruka said. The class was led back inside and told to wait until their name was called.

"Sasuke Uchiha!" Mizuki called, returning to the room with the Uchiha close behind. Time seemed to move slowly for one blonde haired Uzumaki as student after student was called to the room.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" Mizuki's voice rang through the room. Everyone fell silent as they watched Naruto slump into the room. The door closed behind him, and he felt like a trapped animal.

"Relax, Naruto. Make your bunshins when you're ready," Iruka tried to soothe. Naruto just nodded, his throat unusually tight. He held his fingers up in a cross sigh called out

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" A puff of smoke surrounded the orange clad boy, and quickly dispersed. It left behind one Naruto Uzumaki and a pale, sickly looking thing that could hardly be called a clone. Naruto felt his heart drop to the floor. He looked up at Iruka, his cerulean eyes pleading. Iruka gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but that clone could never fool the enemy. I'm afraid that you don't pass this portion of the test. I'm sorry," Iruka murmured. Naruto's eyes dropped. He left the room without dismissal and took his seat at the front of the class. Iruka returned a few minutes later, clipboard in hand. "I will now call out the passing students. If your name is called, please come up and get your Leaf Hitai-ate (Leaf Forehead-protectors)," Iruka said as Mizuki placed a box of forehead protectors on the desk.

"Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Neji Hyuuga, Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Tenten, Rock Lee, Shino Aburame…" the names continued, forehead protectors disappearing one after the other. Iruka finished the list, leaving only one without a Leaf Hitai-ate: Naruto Uzumaki.

**A/N: Thanks to all that have read this chapter! Once again, I will hopefully be updating tomorrow!**


	4. The Scroll

Naruto sat sideways on the old wooden swing attached to the oak tree outside the Academy, watching as parents congratulated their kids, giving them hugs or loving pats on the head. Naruto felt alienated once more. Even if he did graduate, there would be no one to hug him and tell him how proud they were of him. No one to take him out for a congratulatory dinner. No one to love him. Silent tears trickled down his tanned cheeks and pattered onto his pants. He wiped away the evidence of the momentary weakness.

_Shinobi don't show weakness_, he reminded himself.

"Naruto?" it was Mizuki.

"What do you need, Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto asked, his voice rough.

"Come with me for a second," the white-haired man gestured for Naruto to follow. He complied, albeit slowly. Mizuki led him to a green tiled roof of a house and sat down. Mizuki looked up at the sky, an aloof smile stretched across the man's face.

"Beautiful day isn't it? I love gloomy days," he said.

"Not to be disrespectful Mizuki-sensei, but if you only called me to discuss the weather, then I will be taking my leave," Naruto muttered, getting to his feet.

"No, no, I brought you here to talk about something much more important. I was just trying to break the ice," Mizuki stopped him. Sighing, Naruto perched beside Mizuki.

"I noticed that you didn't graduate," Mizuki noted.

"I don't really want to talk about that," Naruto whispered.

"I called you out here because I have a way for you to graduate without passing the exam," Mizuki said. Naruto looked up at Mizuki, hope glittering in his eyes.

"Really?" Naruto shouted. Mizuki laughed and nodded.

"Here's what you have to do. There is a scroll in the Hokage Tower, in a room at the end of the top floor hallway. Get that scroll and bring it to the old wooden shack in the forest. You know, it right? Good, so wait for me there and if you have the scroll, I will graduate you," Mizuki explained.

"It's that easy?" Naruto questioned, suspicious.

"Of course not. The room that holds the scroll will be guarded, to test your stealth ability," Mizuki told him. Naruto was silent for a minute, then held his hand out to Mizuki.

"I'll do it." Mizuki shook Naruto's hand.

"Good. Get the scroll at eight tonight, then get it to the shack by nine. Good luck, Naruto!" Mizuki shouted, before jumping from the roof and disappearing down the street below.

It was eight o'clock at night and a lone silhouette could be seen jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Cold wind brushed against Naruto's face as he leapt through the village, his mind abuzz with excitement. _I'm going to graduate! I'm going to get that scroll and take it to Mizuki-sensei, and no one can stop me! _ Naruto suppressed the urge to giggle with crazy happiness. He could see the tall, winding Hokage Tower in the distance and sped up. He arrived at the spiral stairs that wound around the tower, leading up to top floor. He swung over the railing and silently crept up the stairs, his senses on high alert. He came to the oak door that blocked his passage into the hallway and slowly pushed it open, wincing as it creaked. He slunk into the hallway and inched forward, hidden amongst the shadows. The doorway leading to the scroll was in his sights and another surge of excitement shot through him. There were two Jounin guards standing beside the door watching the hallway with careful eyes. _Well, now what? _Naruto crouched in the shadows and began to think of a plan. He turned around and began to glide back to where he came from. He tiptoed down the stairs and down to the first floor where the receptionist stayed. He shoved a hand into his pants pocket and found what he was looking for: homemade smoke bombs. He slipped into the lobby and hid behind a waiting room couch. In one smooth motion, a smoke bomb flew from his hand onto the floor, exploding into a gray cloud of smoke. The receptionist started yelling, making a bunch of girlish shrieks. Under the cover of the smoke, Naruto sprinted back to the stairwell and lept over the railing. He hung on the metal handrails and waited. The two Jounin from before came thundering down the stairs, kunai in hand. Once they were in the loby, Naruto jumped back onto the stairs and ran up to the hallway door. The scroll room was now unguarded and seemed to beckon to Naruto. He threw the door open and was met with a dark, mysterious room. He couldn't see anything and cautiously walked inside. He tripped on something and an alarm began shrieking.

_Oh, crap! A trip wire! How could I be so stupid! _He began to feel around for the scroll and his hand landed on a smooth, cylindrical item. He latched onto the scroll and darted from the room, pulling the three foot tall parchment with him. He could hear footsteps on the stairs and began to look for an escape. There! A window! He pushed the glass open and balanced the scroll on his back, then dived out the window and out into the night.

Ichiro Nakamura had been a Jounin for two years and five months, so when he found that the smoke bomb in the lobby was a distraction to get to the Forbidden Scroll, to say that he felt stupid would be a major understatement. He rushed up the stairs after the alarm sounded and barreled through the hallway door. He saw something out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see a flash of bright orange leap from a four story window. The only person in Konoha he knew that wore such a bright, horrid color, was the prankster king himself, Naruto Uzumaki.

**A/N: Thank you once again for reading the newest chapter! I hope you enjoyed and I will update tomorrow!**


	5. Secrets

Naruto flew through the trees, trying to get to the wooden shack in the middle of the forest. It was roughly eight forty and he needed to get to the shack. He couldn't hear pursuing shinobi, which he hoped was a good sign. The green and purple scroll weighed heavily on his back and was continuously slipping. He huffed in irritation as he fixed its position once more, causing him to slow momentarily. After a few more minutes of shifting the scroll and cursing whoever decided to make it so big, he arrived at the shack and practically threw the scroll to the ground. He leaned against the rotting wall of the shack, settling down to wait for Mizuki. _I wonder what's in this scroll? _Naruto wondered. He stared at the scroll and it seemed to beckon to him._ Well, I carried it all the way here, so I deserve a reward, right? _He crawled forward and used his nail to break the wax seal that held the parchment closed.

"Hokage-sama, we think we may know who stole the Forbidden Scroll," an ANBU shinobi reported, standing tall and straight.

"Who?" the seventy year old man asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki, an Academy student," the dog masked man replied.

"Naruto?" the Hokage asked, surprised. Everyone knew Naruto as a prankster and troublemaker, but stealing the Forbidden Scroll was a serious crime. The Hokage sighed, rubbing his forehead with his palm.

"Bring him to me, Dog. Make sure he isn't hurt, though. I need to ask him some questions. Oh, and bring Iruka with you," the Hokage ordered. The masked man, bowed slightly and used a special jutsu to melt into the floor. "Oh, Naruto, what have you done?" he asked the unresponsive room.

Naruto had been practicing one jutsu in the scroll for a while, and he thought he was finally getting the hang of it.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he shouted. A perfect copy of himself appeared in a puff of smoke and smiled at him. Naruto laughed giddily. He did it! He made a perfect clone of himself! He dispelled the clone and sat down, beaming. There was a rustle of leaves overhead and Naruto jumped to his feet.

"Mizuki-sensei?" he asked, cautious. The last person he expected appeared from the leaves, "Iruka-sensei?!" Iruka slid to the ground, landing lightly on the balls of his feet.

"Naruto, what have you done?" Iruka asked, his brown eyes troubled.

"What do you mean, Iruka-sensei?"

"What do I mean? You stole the Forbidden Scroll, Naruto! That's illegal!" Iruka shouted. Naruto felt numb all the sudden.

"What?" he croaked.

"Aw, looks like I got here a little too late," someone cooed. Mizuki stood on a tree branch, leaning against a large, fuma shuriken that was easily the size of Naruto.

"Mizuki? What are you doing here?" Iruka asked, confused as to why his friend stood before him, armed.

"Our little Naruto was just delivering something that I need, that's all," Mizuki said, smiling evilly, "congratulations, Naruto Uzumaki, you graduate!" Mizuki laughed. He hefted the fuma shuriken and flung it towards Naruto. Naruto screwed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable.

"Naruto!" Iruka cried. Naruto felt a drop of something warm splash onto his face. _Blood,_ he thought, _but why is there no pain? _Naruto opened his eyes, hesitating slightly. He gasped. Above him, Iruka shielded his body, Mizuki's shuriken protruding from his back.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto howled. Iruka smiled at him, blood dripping from his lips. Tears cascaded down Naruto's face.

"Naruto….take the scroll….and….run," Iruka gasped out.

"No, Iruka-sensei, I won't leave you," Naruto sobbed.

"Why do you protect him, Iruka? Why do you protect the beast that killed your parents?" Mizuki asked,

"Mizuki...don't…." Iruka rasped.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, his wet face displaying confusion.

"Well, you see-"

"Don't!" Iruka cried.

"Do you know the story about the Kyuubi?" Mizuki asked, ignoring Iruka. Naruto nodded and Iruka turned to glare at Mizuki.

"Don't!"

"Well, you were told that the Fourth Hokage killed the beast. They lied. The Fourth couldn't kill the Kyuubi, so he sealed the monster into a baby. You," Mizuki shouted, "now I'm gonna' do Konoha a favor and kill you, demon!" Naruto stared wide eyed at Mizuki.

"No, you're lying!" Naruto yelled, but he didn't believe himself. Memories of the villagers throwing things at him, calling him a demon, flashed through his mind. He looked at the bleeding Iruka. Iruka looked at him with sorrow filled eyes, and was that pity as well? "No," Naruto sobbed loudly. He scrambled out from under his teacher and snatched the scroll. He fled into the forest, running from the startling truth.

**A/N: Than you for reading chapter 4 of The Fox's Disciple! Sorry this chapter is shorter than others, but I hope you enjoy it none the less! :)**


	6. AN

**Hey guys! First of all, let me say thank you to the people that reviewed The Fox's Disciple and told me there opinion of my story, but if you don't like it, please-once again-tell me why. Second of all, I know I haven't updated recently, and I'm sorry. This week, I've been loaded up with homework and haven't been able to update. I won't be able to update this week, but I will next week. When? I have no idea! Any way, thank you for reading and if you skipped over this note, I understand 'cause I do it all the time! ;D SEE YA!**


	7. Snapping

**A/N: Alright here we go, after one long week! This is the chapter were things start separating from the original Naruto story line. I know its short, but this is all I got for now. Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! I'm glad you guys seem to be enjoying the story so far! Any way enough talking, let's get on with the next chapter of The Fox's Disciple! **

It hurt. It hurt so much, and Naruto did not know what to do with the pain. He was the vessel for the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and Iruka knew and never told him. Twice that day he had been betrayed by people he thought he could trust. It was just too much to bear. He stumbled over a tree root and crashed to the ground. Tears horribly blurred his vision and he had no motivation to continue moving. He set the scroll down beside him and wrapped his arms around his orange clad knees. He let the tears flow; let his weakness show itself. All the hate filled words finally made sense. _"Demon!" "Monster!" "You killed my husband!" "Just go die!" _

The tears flowed faster. His broken sobs rang through the silent clearing, and he didn't care who heard them.

* * *

Mizuki lept through the forest, searching for his blonde target. _Where'd that stupid brat go? I need that scroll! _He was using a Henge to mimic the wounded Iruka, complete with the blood and everything. Mizuki caught sight of an orange and blonde blur, slightly hidden by the greenery, and quickly put up the "_I'm wounded" _act.

"Naruto!" he called out in a raspy voice, making his jumps unbalanced and his movements look painful. The figure stopped and turned. Mizuki/Iruka leaned against a tree and panted softly.

"Iruka-sensei?" the voice sounded relieved, then took on a note of worry, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, Naruto. We need to get that scroll back to Hokage-sama. Give it here and then we can go," Mizuki/Iruka assured, holding out a hand for the precious scroll. Naruto looked suspiciously at the hand, holding the scroll close.

"Not happening, Mizuki," Naruto growled, slapping the hand away. Mizuki/Iruka glared at the student. Suddenly, Naruto was swallowed by a cloud of smoke, and Iruka lept from its confines.

"Damn you Iruka," Mizuki hissed, dodging a weak blow from Iruka's kunai. Mizuki lashed out in cold furry, his sandaled foot connecting with Iruka's already battered body. The brown-haired chunin flew from the trees, landing with a painful thud. Blood splattered the ground as Iruka coughed. He spat, trying to get the metallic taste out of his mouth.

"Iruka-sensei?"

* * *

Naruto had heard a loud thud a few meters away and had decided to investigate, wiping away the tearstains and balancing the scroll on his back. He crouched in the shadows and slowly crept towards the sound. He arrived just in time to see Iruka cough up the horribly familiar crimson liquid.

"Iruka-sensei?" he asked, hesitant at first. Iruka looked up in alarm at his student.

"Naruto, get out of here!" he shouted. Naruto didn't move. The sight of the bleeding and wounded Iruka made something inside him snap. Iruka was injured because of _Naruto's _stupidity. His naive and childish wants to prove himself, to become leader of a village that wanted him dead. His vision began to darken until only Mizuki was there. Mizuki, the traitor. Miuzki, the man who was about to die. With an animalistic howl, Naruto pounced.

**A/N: Oooooohhhhh cliffhanger! Well, not really, but okay. I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! I will update as soon as possible. Please remember to review because, as always, I love to hear (or would that be read?) your feedback! BYE GUYS ;D**


	8. The Mind Is A Terrible Thing

Naruto marveled at the feeling of his nails piercing Mizuki's skin. His soul sang as the Chunin's life blood poured out, coloring his fingers in a blazing crimson. Mizuki's dark eyes grew wide as he scratched desperately at the academy student's tan fingers.

"Let go of me, you monster!" he screeched, but Naruto was too far gone, all he could think about was the satisfaction that Mizuki's agony brought. He laughed, a psychotic, bloodcurdling laugh. His nails traveled to the other side of Mizuki's throat, ready to deal the finishing blow. Naruto was thrown off the screaming Chunin, an invisible force shoving him away. An ANBU crouched in front of Naruto's pray, his hands held up in preparation for an attack. Just as the dog masked man predicted, the blonde boy leapt at him, screeching in fury. He disappeared and reappeared behind Naruto, and with a swift blow to the back of his neck, knocked the young boy out. Dog cradled the small boy in his arms, checking for injuries before turning to the wide-eyed Iruka.

"Go get back-up to take care of the traitor," Dog ordered in a firm voice.

"What about Naruto?" the Chunin questioned. They both looked at the unconscious teen. His blood encrusted nails hung limply, shining in the filtered light the trees let trough.

"I'll take him to Hokage-sama," Dog responded, shifting the blonde into a more comfortable position. Iruka stood shakily, glancing at the terror-stricken Mizuki.

"It's not Naruto's fault. Mizuki-," Iruka was cut off by Dog's raised hand.

"I am aware of Naruto's position," Iruka looked away, "but it is not my place to decided what happens to him." Iruka nodded shortly, before leaping into the trees, slightly off balance. Dog looked back down at his burden. Naruto's head was propped against Dog's chest, his face adorned with a peaceful expression. His chest rose and fell steadily as he breathed, and Dog felt his heart clench. _The boy is too young to deal with such troubles,_ he thought.

* * *

_It's so cold, _Naruto thought. _Why is that? My apartment isn't usually _this _cold. _The sound of water dripping broke through his consciousness. _Water? _His eyelids fluttered open and he sat up with a shocked gasp. He was in what appeared to be an underground sewer, minus the disgusting smell. He got cautiously to his feet, water rippling around him. Surprisingly, he didn't sink, but stood on the water's surface. Azure eyes gazed into darkness, searching for any sign of life. Naruto began to walk down a tunnel to his left and for the longest time, the only thing he saw was the sewer walls and water, until he stumbled across an oak door.

"What the hell is a door doing in a sewer?" he wondered out loud. Tan fingers wrapped around the shiny handle and pushed. Naruto slipped through the door and, as he went to step in, his foot went through the ground and he began to fall. Panic controlled his mind as he reached out to find some kind of handhold. Suddenly, his decent halted. He floated in midair, his wide eyes gazing about. A bright white light hovered on the edge of his vision and he turned. _Is…is that me? _A small boy, his arms stretched behind his head walked toward him. The boy's eyes were closed, a brilliant smile plastered on his scarred face. The smaller Naruto stopped in front of the floating teen and let his arms drop to his sides. His eyes fluttered open and Naruto inhaled sharply. Instead of the familiar oceanic eyes, his eyes were red, the parts that were supposed to be white a pitch black. Dark Naruto reached forward and grasped Naruto's hand and pulled, dragging the shocked boy forward. Naruto didn't struggle, his curiosity of his look-alike taking over. The five-year old continued to drag his older companion forward, into the never-ending darkness. The boy stopped abruptly, turning to Naruto. Before Naruto could question the boy, he pointed to the black surrounding them. The confused blonde squinted, then his eyes grew wide. He saw himself crouched on top of a shrieking Mizuki, dragging his nails across the man's thoat. He watched the blood coat his fingers and listened to his crazed giggle. The vision switched, moving past the two bodies and focused on a scared Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto croaked, "I-I didn't…that wasn't…"

"But it was," the small Naruto, still clutching his hand, whispered. Naruto looked at himself in shock. "Mizuki betrayed us. He hurt Iruka-sensei and called us a demon. He deserves to die!" Dark Naruto shrieked in anger. The vision changed. Now he saw himself standing over Mizuki's dead, torn and bloodied body, a crazed grin stretched across his face. Vision Naruto licked blood from his lips, his smile growing even wider.

"No…" he began to struggle from the boy's grasp, "stop…" he tugged and twisted, trying despritly to get free, "STOP!" he got free and sprinted away from the vision. He didn't know where he was going, or what he was going to do in the unfamiliar place. Dark Naruto appeared in front of him.

"He deserved to die," the blood-soaked body of Mizuki appeared as Dark naruto whispered the words. Naruto turned and began to run from the boy. Mizuki's body appeared in front of him again, he ran the other direction. Iruka materialized before him.

"Why, Naruto?" he whispered.

"Iruka-sensei, I didn't-"

"You're a monster! You killed Mizuki!" his teacher screeched.

"NO!" he fled, but was stopped by another from; Sasuke.

"You killed Mizuki-sensei!" His classmates began to rise from the darkness, accusing him of his teacher and others' deaths.

"NOOOOOOO!" he fell to his knees, fingers scraping the ground. _Please, please make them go away! _He pleaded. Their voices continued to echo through Naruto's head, breaking him bit by bit, until they abruptly stopped. Naruto warily lifted his head. His eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates as they fell upon the cage.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to post. I have no excuse, it was pure, 100% laziness. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please feel free to leave a comment on you opinion of the story so far! I will be posting sometime next week, so I'll see you then! :)**


	9. Hatred Through a Sea of Memories

**A/N: The seventh chapter is finally up! I know it's been a loooooong time since I last updated, but I haven't had the inspiration to write last week. I have now decided that I will update every Sunday, so be looking for chapter 8 soon! I have posted a D. Gray-man story in case any of you want to check that out. It is also a work in progress and has been stalled because I never finished the anime and decided that it would be best I did. I also have two other stories on Wattpad in case you are interested. They are under the same PenName. Enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

_His eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates as they fell upon the cage..._

* * *

Saying it was large, would be a mega understatement. The bars of the golden cage came up from the water and reached up to the dark ceiling, disappearing the farther they went. Inside the cage, there was only pitch-black nothingness. Naruto could not see any sign of life and felt his heart drop slightly. _Wait a minute, where did those apparitions go? _Naruto swept the area with his eyes, but there was no one. When he turned back to the cage, the smaller him stood before him.

"Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?" the blonde demanded the chibi. The child turned and looked at him with those horrid, crimson eyes and smiled, a blood-chilling smile. He stepped through the bars and into the depths of the cage, not turning back, even when Naruto tried to call to him. Naruto raced in after him, but when he reached the bars, something made him stop. His gut instinct told him not to go, that the cage was dangerous. A shiver walked up his spine and he took a tentative step forward. _What could be in there that is making me feel so…so…so _afraid_? _A scream, a child's by the sound of the pitch, rang through the sewer. It came from inside the cage. No longer hesitating, Naruto sprinted into the cage, looking for the source of the blood-curdling cry. A dim, crimson glow slowly came into focus and Naruto picked up speed. Suddenly, it disappeared, causing Naruto to halt. The silence stretched on and Naruto could feel panic's frozen hand claw at his heart. Something bristly and warm wrapped around his waist and he was dragged forward, screeching at the thing. He pulled at the foreign object and twisted, trying to get it to let go. The thing just kept on going, unresponsive to Naruto's vain struggles to get away. His fluffy attacker slowed to halt, and Naruto was brought face to face with his red-eyed clone. The clone brought his chubby hands upwards and cupped Naruto's scarred cheeks.

"Can't you feel the hatred that swims though your veins? The pure malice that is begging to be let loose? _I _am the real Naruto, not the peppy, happy-go-lucky poser you are. The real Naruto hates the villagers that have wronged him and ripped away any chance of normalcy," Dark Naruto whispered, his voice sounding young, but at the same time ancient. Images of the dead villagers filled the teens head. They overrode his senses and filled the oxygen he breathed with the smell of blood. His mouth tasted like iron all the sudden.

"S-stop," Naruto murmured weakly, "n-now." Dark Naruto cackled evilly, his head thrown back as he laughed.

"I will never stop! Revenge is the only answer there is now, and I intend to get it," Naruto's vision swam, and for a moment, he though he saw a monstrous, orange fox sneering at him. _I've gone crazy, _Naruto finally decided. Searing agony erupted though his head and he yowled. Dark Naruto's mocking laugh only became louder now. _Please, make it end, _he pleaded. Iruka's face appeared in his mind's eye, and some how, Naruto felt like he failed his teacher.

* * *

Naruto woke with a gasp. He was sitting ramrod straight on a cold surface. _Where am I? Is it over?_ He wondered, peering at his surroundings. He noticed the surface, which was really a bed, was not his own. There were no sheets on the bed, which explained the chill.

"Keep it down in there!" Naruto looked up and did a double take. Metallic bars separated him from a long, dirt hallway outside the room. For one heart stopping moment, Naruto thought he was still in the golden cage with his clone, but in reality he was in a jail cell. The cell was only decorated with a bed, toilet, and sink with a dusty mirror. A painful jolt went through his head and he choked. Only now did he notice the stinging sensation at his temples. With a thud, he jumped to the ground and raced for the mirror. Pushing spiky blonde bangs aside, he gazed wide-eyed at the tattoos that now decorated the side of his face. Two thick, black commas, slick with what appeared to be black blood, shined in the dim light.

"What the hell?" he whispered, gently fingering the tattoos. He hissed as they stung and more "blood" dripped from them.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" called a strict, clam voice. Naruto quickly repositioned his bangs and turned around. An ANBU member with a ceramic dog mask stood in the open doorway of the cell.

"Dog?" he remembered this ANBU. He was one of the only members that would protect him when he was a kid. Well, more of a kid.

"Come with me," Dog ordered, not bothering to wait for the petite teen. After catching up, Naruto asked, "Where are we going?"

"To see Hokage-sama," Dog responded, his voice slightly muffled by the canine mask. Memories of the incident in the woods rushed to the front of his mind. Images of the scroll, the oak forest, and Mizuki's blood on his hands floated in front of his eyes. Naruto could feel the warmth of blood on his fingers and face, and it…. it was exhilarating.

"Where's Mizuki?" Naruto asked, slightly out of breath and disgusted with himself. Dog remained silent, and when Naruto was about to ask again, he answered, "I think it's best if Hokage-sama explained that." The blonde academy student's heart stopped.

"Is-is he…dead?!" Dog didn't answer. "No. No I couldn't have k-," the words got stuck in his throat. The ANBU agent stopped suddenly, causing Naruto to bump into him. Dog knocked on the door leading to the Hokage's office, the sound echoing through the hall.

"Hokage-sama, I have brought Naruto Uzumaki,"

"Bring him in," came the solemn voice of the Third. Dog pushed the door open, letting Naruto enter first. Everything to move in slow motion for the student, the only thing that he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest. _What is going to happen to me? I'm a murder now. Mizuki's blood is on my hands, _and for some strange reason, at that very moment walking into the Hokage's office, Dark Naruto's face flashed through his mind, and all of his regrets were washed away by sea of tormented memories.

**A/N: Dun dun dun! and so the newest installment of the Fox's Disciple ends...I hopw you guys enjoyed. Reviews are appreciated, as always! I will see you next Sunday! BYE :D**


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